


Beautiful Flower

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2019 [61]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Feels, Kid Fic, M/M, Prompt Fill, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 08:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20355805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for Alternate Universe prompt:Marvel Cinematic Universe, Any, flower shop AUIn which Steve is embracing his new heart and his second chance at life, but he also hasn't forgotten where he comes from.





	Beautiful Flower

Steve had been given a second chance at life when he received the synthetic heart from Stark Innovations, and he wasn’t wasting a moment of it. He’d been able to do things he wouldn’t have dared before, like skydiving, hiking in the mountains, and running in a marathon.

Thanks to all the money he made as Stark’s living, breathing heart model, Steve and Bucky were able to travel to all the places they’d always talked about going: Italy, Australia, China. Bucky liked to joke that he’d been dragged to every botanical garden and flower show on six continents.

The heart of Steve’s life, though, was and always would be the flower shop. Every new technique he picked up, every new kind of flower or plant he saw on his trips, it all came back in some form to the shop. The shop he was finally expanding.

“Thank you all so much for coming,” Steve said to the assembled crowd of his neighbors, his friends, his family. “Three years ago, I thought I’d never get to see this flower shop again. It’s only thanks to the kindness of my neighbors and the generosity of Tony Stark that I’m not only back doing what I love, but I’m able to expand the vision and scope of Sara’s Flowers.”

That was followed by a lot of applause, and people taking pictures, and then Steve cut the ribbon.

“Swanky,” Bucky said. “You didn’t tell me you ordered champagne.”

“Stark sent over a few cases,” Steve replied.

There were servers carrying trays of champagne and little canapes while everyone wandered the new, bigger space taking everything in. In addition to taking orders for arrangements like he always did, Steve would also be offering free classes on flower arranging, including techniques he learned in China. One display explained the meaning ascribed to certain flowers and colors, and there were framed pictures hanging up all around the shop of the different gardens Steve had visited.

In addition, there was a comfortable space for people to just sit and use the wifi if they wanted. Steve wanted his shop to be open to the community, even if they weren’t in the market for flowers.

“This is lovely, Steve,” Mr. Bylicki said, clapping him on the shoulder with one gnarled hand. “Your mother would be very proud.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Sara Rogers had given Steve his love of flowers, but he was born to be an artist and the arranging came naturally to him. Naming the shop after her had been a way to honor the memories he had of the two of them putting together bouquets from the cheap, damaged leftovers from the local flower stand.

Steve absolutely felt his mother’s presence with him every day, and he knew she’d like the change he’d made to the name of the shop. Just as much as he knew she’d be proud of the little girl heading his way, a daisy chain on her gleaming black hair.

“Dada! F’owers!”

“Doesn’t Mei look pretty in her flower crown?” Kelsey asked, holding Mei’s hand.

Steve bent down and picked her up, settling her naturally on his hip. “Very pretty.”

Mei pulled the daisies off and tried to put them on Steve’s head, crushing more than a few of them.

“Let me help, princess,” Bucky said.

“Dada pitty!”

“Very pretty,” Bucky agreed with a grin. “Prettiest guy in the whole flower shop.”

Steve just rolled his eyes.

He and Bucky had met Mei on their trip to China and it had been love at first sight. Even before Steve found out that her name, Meiying, meant _beautiful flower_. There’d been many trips after as they started the long process of adoption, but she was worth it. Being a dad, having a family of his own, was something Steve had never dared dream of when he was sick. 

“Don’t worry,” Kelsey said. “I got pictures of her with the flowers before she smushed them.”

Kelsey, the neighborhood girl who loved flowers and had written about Steve when he was in the hospital, drawing national attention to his plight, was now an intern at the shop while she went to college. She also had a stake in the shop, and a guaranteed job once she graduated. It was the least Steve could do.

“Kessey make?” Mei patted Steve’s head. “Papa f’owers?”

“Yes, we can make a flower crown for Papa. Come here, big girl.”

Steve transferred Mei back to Kelsey. “Sounds like you’ll get to be just as pretty as me, Buck.”

“Oh, please. We all know I’m prettier.”

Steve was the one who’d gotten the new heart, but the effects of it had rippled out to affect so many other people. Especially Bucky, who was brighter and happier than Steve ever remembered him being.

Shirley, Steve’s long-time (and previously only) employee came over looking flustered. “The Mayor is here!”

Bucky pulled Steve in for a kiss. “Go shake some hands. I gotta see a girl about a crown.”

Steve watched him amble off, looked around the shop at everyone chatting and laughing with each other, and promised himself never to take any of it for granted.

“Mayor Cushman. Welcome to Sara’s Beautiful Flower.”

**Author's Note:**

> **AN:** When Nagi left me this prompt, I was like…wow. I haven’t visited that ‘verse in a while. I wasn’t sure I had much story left to tell there, but I thought about it and thought about it, and I realized that it would be nice to see what Steve has been up to since getting his new lease on life thanks to Tony Stark. And this is what happened.


End file.
